This is the all-new BMW iX3 – an electric SUV that introduces a new era of BMW design and tech. With a 500-mile battery range and a lower price than the car it replaces, we reckon it should fly out of the showrooms. It's on sale now, wirth prices starting at less than £60,000.
Here’s the full lowdown on the 2026 BMW iX3.
2026 BMW iX3: Price, Specs and Release Date
- 2026 BMW iX3: styling and dimensions
- 2026 BMW iX3: interior design and practicality
- 2026 BMW iX3: engines and driving dynamics
- 2026 BMW iX3: price and release date
2026 BMW iX3: styling and dimensions
The 2026 BMW iX3 is new from the ground up, unlike the previous iX3 which was simply an electric version of the X3 of the time. This new iX3, on the other hand, sits on a completely different platform to the latest petrol/diesel/hybrid-powered X3 and looks nothing like it. In fact, the new iX3 introduces an entirely new design language for BMW, which it calls ‘Neue Klasse’ (that’s German for ‘new class’, if you hadn’t guessed).
Influenced by BMW models of the 1960s and 70s, the iX3 has a simpler, more stripped-back look than we’re used to seeing from BMW. There’s no chrome, and in place of the huge ‘twin-kidney’ front grille of many of its recent models there’s a small central ‘grille’ flanked by black panels that contain the headlights. Look closely and you’ll see that there's no grille as such – just flush panels that stretch across the width of the car. Thin light strips create a distinctive 3D grille effect either side of the central twin-kidney shape, which on higher-spec models has an illuminated frame.
At the sides, the iX3 has notably smooth bodywork and flush door handles but there are strongly defined, squared-off wheel arches similar to those of the larger BMW iX. The rear features horizontal tail lights that taper towards the centre of the car, where a scoop in the bodywork contains the BMW logo – a motif that’s expected to be a feature of BMW’s next generation of cars.
The new iX3 is about 5cm longer than the previous model but less than a centimetre wider and about 3cm lower. It has less upright, SUV-like proportions than the older car and is a close match for the petrol-powered X3 in terms of its size and overall shape.
2026 BMW iX3: interior design and practicality
While there’s a retro influence to the iX3’s exterior design, the interior is resolutely futuristic. Most striking is the large central touchscreen, which has a ‘free-cut-design’ that appears to lean diagonally towards the driver. Elsewhere there’s a very clean, minimal look, with a plain two-tier dashboard intersected by a continuous air vent.
At the base of the windscreen is ‘BMW Panoramic Vision’ – a slim digital display that projects information across the entire width of the dashboard. Most features are controlled through the central screen, but there are physical controls for the windscreen wipers, indicators, exterior mirrors, audio volume control and rear window heater. BMW says that many functions can be controlled using voice commands or the steering wheel controls.
Thanks to a long wheelbase and a platform designed specifically for electric vehicles rather than one adapted from petrol models, the iX3 should offer plenty of interior space. There’s a lounge-like vibe throughout, and BMW highlights luxurious touches such as the fabric-covered dashboard, ‘sofa-like’ rear seat and electrically operated interior door handles.
Maximum boot space is 520 litres to the load cover – 30 litres less than the petrol-powered X3 but 10 litres more than the previous iX3. There’s also a 58-litre ‘frunk’ under the bonnet, while versatility is boosted by 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats.
2026 BMW iX3: engines and driving dynamics
The big news is that, as of late 2025, the BMW iX3 has the longest battery range of any new electric car on sale in the UK. From launch the only model available will be the 50 xDrive, which has a maximum range of 500 miles, putting it well ahead of all of its rivals, and 16 miles ahead of the current king of battery range, the Mercedes-Benz CLA. The previous iX3, by the way, had a maximum range of just 282 miles.
The combination of a 108.7 kWh battery and an 800-volt architecture (most older EVs have a 400-volt architecture), along with a maximum charging rate of 400 kW, gives the new iX3 some of the most impressive charging stats of any electric car, too. BMW says that it’s possible to add up to 231 miles of range in just 10 minutes, and that charging the battery from 10 to 80 per cent takes only 21 minutes.
Power for the 50 xDrive comes from two electric motors that deliver a total of 463bhp to all four wheels as standard. BMW quotes a 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 130mph. An entry-level model with a single motor and rear-wheel drive is expected to join the range later in 2026 and it could have an even longer range.
2026 BMW iX3: price and release date
The BMW iX3 is available to order now, with prices starting at £58,755 and first deliveries expected in March 2026. And here’s some surprising news – the new iX3 costs less than the car it replaces. About £7,000 less, in fact, despite its extra performance and range. Okay, it costs about £7,000 more than the cheapest petrol or diesel-powered X3 but it does cost £1,400 or so less than the entry-level plug-in hybrid X3. The Audi Q6 E-Tron, the iX3’s closest rival, currently starts at just over £61,000.
Entry-level trim wants for little, with standard features including heated and electrically adjustable front seats and ‘Econeer’ artificial leather upholstery. M Sport trim adds the usual array of sporty upgrades, while M Sport Pro trim gives an even sportier look and upgraded exterior lighting.
(All prices correct at time of publication but are subject to change and should be independently verified by checking the relevant manufacturer websites.)